The George Tsutakawa in Japan video project measures 4 linear feet and contains unedited video recordings of Tsutakawa's return trip to his childhood home in central Japan. The recordings, made by the West Coast Regional Center of the Archives of American Art in 1988, were subsequently edited into the 23-minute documentary George Tsutakawa: An Artist's Pilgrimage, also included in this collection.
Scope and Contents:
The George Tsutakawa in Japan video project measures 4 linear feet and contains unedited video recordings of Tsutakawa's return trip to his childhood home in central Japan. The recordings, made by the West Coast Regional Center of the Archives of American Art in 1988, were subsequently edited into the 23-minute documentary George Tsutakawa: An Artist's Pilgrimage, also included in this collection.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 2 series.
Series 1: Unedited Video for Documentary, 1988 (3.6 linear feet; Boxes 1-4)
Series 2: George Tsutakawa: An Artist's Pilgrimage, 1990 (3 folders; Box 4)
Biographical / Historical:
George Tsutakawa (1910-1997) was a Japanese American painter and sculptor based in Seattle, Washington. Born in Seattle in 1910, he moved with his mother to Fukuyama, Japan, at the age of seven. While there, he took an interest in art, and was influenced by traditional Japanese practices. Returning to Seattle at age 16, he continued his education in art at the University of Washington. His interest in sculpture led to numerous commissions for fountians worldwide, a form that combined his experiences in both the Pacific Northwest and Japan. During his career, Tsutakawa designed, built, and installed over 70 fountains.
Following a 1987 interview with Tsutakawa conducted by the Smithsonian Archives of American Art, the Archives' West Coast Regional Center took the opportunity to further document Tsutakawa's experience as a Japanese-American artist. Fourteen hours of video were recorded over a three-week period in the fall of 1988, centered around the Fountain of Lotus, a sculpture Tsutakawa was commissioned to design for a new art museum in his childhood home of Fukuyama, Japan. Tsutakawa is accompanied by members of his family, including his wife Ayame, his daughter Mayumi, and his son Gerard.
The video crew for this project included Paul Karlstrom (Archives of American Art West Coast regional director), Ken Levine (director and videographer), and Dan Gadd (videographer). The project was made possible by a Smithsonian Research Opportunities Grant and additional private donations, as well as an equipment loan from Sony.
Related Materials:
Also found in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview recorded on video June 26-27, 1987 by his daughter Mayumi Tsutakawa, as well as the George Tsutakawa papers, 1953-1991.
Restrictions:
This collection is open for research. Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
Rights:
Authorization to publish, quote or reproduce requires written permission from the Archives of American Art. Contact Reference Services for more information.
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Occupation:
Painters -- Washington (State) -- Seattle Search this
Sculptors -- Washington (State) -- Seattle Search this
Session I: The Artists' and Family's Perspective: Looking Toward the 21st Century, moderated by Dr. Paul J. Karlstrom. Panelists include Kimi Kodani Hill, Chiura Obata's granddaughter and Obata family historian; Li-lan, Yun Gee's daughter and artist; Mayumi Tsutakawa, daughter of George Tsutakawa and curator/writer; and Carlos Villa, Leo Valledor's cousin and artist.
Session II: Issues in Interpreting, Documenting and Presenting Asian American Art was moderated by Vas Prabhu; panelists include Bert Winther- Tamaki, Karin Higa, Elaine Kim, and Dennis Reed.
Biographical / Historical:
A symposium co-sponsored by the Archives of American Art, The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, and San Francisco State University.
General:
Originally recorded on 3 sound cassettes. Duration is 5 hrs.
Funding for the digital preservation of these recordings was provided by a grant from the Save America's Treasures Program of the National Park Service.
The papers of Japanese American fiber artist and ceramicist, Alice Kagawa Parrott, measure 8.3 linear feet and date from circa 1950-2009. The collection mainly documents Parrott's work as a fiber artist. Included are biographical material; personal and profesional correspondence with colleagues, loom manufacturers and family; notes for lectures and weaving notes; fabric dye recipes; project files; business records including fabric sales and financial reports; photographs of Parrott, her studio and dyeing process; printed material; and artwork including garment patterns, pencil sketches of wall hangings, yarn samples, annotated dye studies and samples, sketches, and studies and color stories.
Biographical / Historical:
Alice Kagawa Parrott (1929-2009) was a Japanese American fiber artist and ceramicist based in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Provenance:
The collection was donated in 2019 by Paul Kagawa and Diane Leavitt, trustees, Alice Kagawa Parrott Family Trust.
Restrictions:
This collection is temporarily closed to researchers due to archival processing. Contact Reference Services for more information.
